The WebCT Bulletin Board
is the easiest way to ask a math question outside of class and office hours.
You are responsible for reading all posts from me.
I prefer that you use office hours since it is easier to discuss
material in person, but if you can not make them, then the newsgroup
is a great alternative.
I usually check the newsgroup numerous times every day including the
weekends.

access to a web-browser and to Maple 9 along with VLA
on the file server and/or at your own computer -- mac or pc is fine
(on-campus access is sufficient
as long as you have the time to work on campus while the labs are open)

An introduction to linear algebra,
via selections of Chapters 1-7 of the textbook and Maple VLA modules

An exposure to theory, proofs, and some of the history of the subject

Learn about applications of linear algebra

Math 2240 has been designated as a
computer designated course. We will be using Maple and VLA
to satisfy
the designator.

Grades

Participation 15%
Attendance is required.
You are expected to contribute to discussions, read the WebCT bulletin board,
and complete practice problems and literacy quizzes.
You are also expected to actively engage the material in class and lab.
This means that when we are doing a calculation, you must
also do this,
and you are expected to take notes since the book does not contain everything you need to know.
These kinds of baseline activities will result in a participation grade of
12/15.
Other activities can increase or decrease this grade.
Asking and answering thought provoking questions, coming up with creative
ways of thinking about the material, and explaining
the material to others are some examples of positive participation that will
increase your grade. On the other hand, performing
activities that detract from the professional classroom environment will
result in a lowered participation grade.

Projects and Problem Sets 35%
Work will not be accepted without explanation and
must also be turned in on or before the due date because solutions will
be posted.
If there is some reason you must miss a class,
then obtain the assignment from the web pages.
The lowest project will be dropped - save this for
emergencies. Every other project
will be equally weighted regardless of the
total number of points.
If all of your work is turned in on time and you have received at least
70% credit for all work, then you will receive +1
added on to your final average.

Major topic exams 30%
No make-up exams will be given. May occur during the last week of class.
You should view exams primarily as a learning experience.
This means that exams are not only an opportunity for you to demonstrate
your mastery of the material, but are also an opportunity for you
to be challenged with new material in order for you to make
new connections. To encourage exams as a learning
experience some extra points
will be granted for test revisions.

Attendance
Attendance is required at all classes.
If the university is open
and you miss a class, whether it is for an official or unofficial reason, you
will be counted as absent.
You will receive (-.7*credit hours of absences + 2.1)/100
added on (or subtracted from) your final average.
Each class is 1.5 credit hours.
Missing more than 7.5 credit hours
will result in an automatic F in the course.

Methodology

Material is covered very quickly.
Plan to spend at least 1.5-2 hours outside of class for each
credit hour in class, (on average).
You are responsible for all material covered and all announcements
and assignments made at each class, whether
you are present or not. You are also responsible for announcements
made on the web pages, so check them often.

Asking questions, and explaining things to others, in or out of class,
is one of the best ways to improve your understanding of the material.
This course is to be an environment in which everyone
feels comfortable asking questions,
making mistakes, offering good guesses and ideas, and is respectful to
one another.

You should explore each problem
and write out your
thinking in a way that can be shared with others.
Focus on your own ideas.
Turn in projects or prepare to present problems
even if it they are not complete, even if only to say, "I do not
understand such and such" or "I am stuck here."
Be as specific as possible. Conjecture.
When writing up work, be sure to give acknowledgment where it is due.
Submitting someone else's work as your own (PLAGIARISM) is a serious
violation of the University's Academic Integrity Code.

In this course, you will be challenged with problems that you have never
seen before. I do not expect you to be able to solve all the issues
immediately. Instead, I want to see what you can do on your own.
Out in the real world, this is important, since no matter what job
you have, you will be expected to seek out information and answers
to new topics you have not seen before.
This may feel uncomfortable and frustrating. I understand this
and want to help you through the process.
It helps to remember that
there are no mathematical dead-ends!
Each time we get stuck, it teaches us
something about the problem we are working on, and leads us to a
deeper understanding of the mathematics.

In the real world though, you are not expected to face your work alone.
You will be allowed to talk to other people
and you
may even be expected to work with other people.
In this class, you are also not expected to face your work alone.
I encourage you to talk to me often in class, office hours,
and the bulletin board.

I am always happy to help you, and will
try to give you hints and direction to help you understand the material.
At times though, to encourage the exploration process,
I may direct you to rethink a problem
and to come back to discuss it with me again afterwards. This occurs
when I believe that the struggle to understand is imperative for your
deep understanding of the material.